Piano-action.



W. R. ST. CLAIR, mac's. L- ST- C- MCDRIDE, ADMIHISTBATRIX- PiANO ACTION.

- I APPLICAHON FILED MAY 22 913- 1,277,660. Patentedfiept. 3,1918

2 SHEETS-SHE I.

, 6267a,); .Decea ad xvi Imam La? W. R. ST. CLABR, DECD.- L. s1. c. MCBRIDE, ADMINISTRATRIX.

PIANO ACTION. APPucAnou man MAY 22. 1911.,

1 ,277,66& Patented Sept. 3,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. *ST. CLAIR, DECEASED, LATE OF NASHVILLE,v TENNESSEE, BY LILLIAN ST. C. MCBRIDE, ADMINISTRATRIX, F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

PIANO-ACTION.

' This invention relates to an improved piano action and has as its primary object to provide a construction wherein, upon'the rebound of the hammer from the string, the hammer will be blocked against movement toward the string to thus prevent fluttering of 'the hammer, while atthe same time, the hammer will always be under the control of the key. 7

The invention has as a further object to provide an arrangement wherein the blocking memberffor the hammer will be mounted uponthe damper to coact with the hammer b'utt for blocking the hammer upon the rebound thereof.

'A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the blocking member will normally be disposed in the path of forward movement'of the hammerbutt and wherein a fly will be connected to the .said'member at a point above the said path and formed to coact therewith for liftingthe blocking member to clear the ham me'r-butt so that the hammer may strike the string when actuated by the key. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide aconstruction wherein, upon the rebound of the hammer, the blocking mem her will be freed by the hammer-butt to gravitate to a position'dispos ed in the path o'f'forward pivoting .of the hammer-butt for blocking the hammer against recoil toward "the string. I

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds. In the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of "the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several v ews:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation showing the improved piano action and Specification of Letters Patent Patented Sept. 3,1918.

Application filed May 22, 1917. Serial No. 170,240.

blocking member is arranged to ride upon the hammer-buttto permit the full inward movement of the hammer,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing the blocked position of the hammer.

' Fig. 4i is a fragmentary perspective view on a slightly enlarged scale showing the hammer blocking member and 'fiy associated therewith,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view more particularly illustrating the construction'xof the blocking member employed. Y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View showing a slightly modified form of blocking member and fiy,

Fig. 7 is a'perspectim View showing a still further modified form of blocking member and fly.

Fig, 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the connection between the damper spring and the damper, as disclosed in connection with the preferred construction, and

rail 10, a tongue rail 11, and a hammer rest rail 12 are employed. Connected with the tongue rail 11 is an abstract 13 pivotally engaged at its lower extremity by a link 14 securedto the said rail by a suitable flange 15. Arranged to cooperate with the lower end of the abstract-is a key 16. Pivotally connected with the upper extremity of the abstract is a lever 17 swingingly supported upon .themain action rail 10 by a suitable flangelS, engaged with the lower inner margin of thesaid rail. The abstract 13 is extended above the lever 17 and at its upper extremity provides a jack 19.

Mounted upon the main action rail 10 is a hammer-butt 20 pivotally connected with the said rail by suitable flange 21. The liammer butt 20 at its lower outer corner is formed with anoutwardly and downwardly beveled face or shoulder 22 and mounted upon the said shoulder is a felt or buckskin 23 arranged for engagement with the upper end of the jack 19. Connected with :the lower sideof the hammer-butt-and bearing against theinner face of the jack is a spring 2-1 normally pressing outwardly upon the upper extremity of the ack. Extending upwardly from the hammer-butt is a hammer shank 25 upon the upper terminal of which is mounted a. hammer 26 adapted to act upon the string 27. It will now be clear that the key 16 when depressed will push upwardly upon the combined abstract and jack which in turn will act upon the shoulder 22 of the hammer-butt 2-0 to move the said hammer-butt upon the main action rail and cause the hammer 26 to strike the string with the spring 24; acting to yieldably return the hammer to normal position supported by the rest rail 12.

Mounted at the inner side of the main ac tion rail 10 is a damper 28 fitted at its up per extremity with a damper wire or stem 29 upon which is adjustably mounted a head 30 carrying a suitable felt 31 adapted to bear against the string 27. Pivotally connecting the damper at a point intermediate of its ends with the main action rail is a flange 32 secured to the upper edge of the said rail. The inner extremity of the flange 32 is notched to receive the coil of a damper spring 33 connected with the said flange by a suitable transverse pin extending through the said coil. One end of the spring 33 is, as shown in dotted lines in the drawings, arranged to bear beneath the screw of the flange 32 while the opposite extremity of the spring is freely seated within a suitable groove in the inner face of the damper 28 at its lower extremity and is loosely held by a felt .33 secured to the damper to overlie the said groove. The spring 33 will thus act to norm ally urge the head of the damper toward the string 27 to a position with the felt 31 of the damper head engaging with the string. Mounted upon the inner end of the lever 17 is an upstanding spoon 34c arranged to coact with the felt 33 upon the lower extremity of the damper for pivot-- ally moving the damper away from the string, as will be readily understood, when the hammer 26 is shifted to strike the string.

Mounted upon the inner side of the damper 28 adjacent the upper extremity thereof is a blocking member 35 connected with the damper preferably by a'leather hinge 36 glued or otherwise secured at one end to the lower inner corner of the said member and. embedded at its opposite end in the damper. Opposite the inner end of the blocking mem her the damper is cut away to permit the upward pivotal movement of the member upon its hinge and is provided with a felt 37 to contact with the inner terminal of the said member. Mounted upon the damper below the blocking member and arranged to normally support the said member in a substantially horizontal position is a stop cushion 38. This cushion may, if desired, be formed of felt and is glued or otherwise secured to the damper. At its inner upper corner, the blocking member is provided with an upstanding extension 39 channeled to receive the inner end of a hinge slO which is preferably formed of leather. Secured to the said hinge is a fly 11 normally resting against the upper side of the said member and provided with a felt to contact therewith. Connected to the outer end of the fly is a wedge block 12 which is preferably formed of felt and is mounted to depend in front of the'member 35. Interposed between the adjacent end of the said member and the block is a felt 35 secured to the blocking member. This felt extends beneath the blocking member to engage the cushion 38. As particularly shown in Figs. 1- and 5, the outer end of the fly is provided with a transverse channel 41 having the bottom thereof inclined to conform to the inclination of the outer beveled face of the wedge bloc ol-2.

It is now to be observed that the blocking member 35 is normally supported by the cushion 38 to project toward the hammerbutt 90 in the path of the forward pivotal movement of the hammer-butt while the fly 41 is hinged at a point above the path of movement of the hammer-butt with the wedge block 42 of the fly normally projecting below the outer end of the blocking member. 'The normal. position of the parts is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Fig. 2 illustrates lhe hammer moved to strike the string. lVhen the hammer-butt 20 is swung forwardly by the jack 19, the upper end of the hammer-butt strikes the outer beveled face of the wedge block 42 of the fly. Since the fly is pivoted to the blocking member above the path of movement of the hammerbutt, the force of the contact of the hammer butt with the wedge block 42 will move the blocking member upwardly upon its hinge so that the hammer-butt will move across the outer beveled. face of the wedge block beneath the said block and beneath the blocking member to such position that the hammer will strike the string. In this strik ing position of the hammer, the blocking member 35 lies upon the upper end of the hammer-butt away from its cushion 38 and, of course, the wedge block 42 also lies upon the upper end of the hammer-butt with the hammer shank received withinthe channel 37 in the outer end of the fly.

Upon striking the string, the hammer will as is well known, rebound. WVhen the ham mer thus rebounds, the ha1nmer-butt 20 will shift rearwardly beyond the outer end of the blocking member 35 and permit the said member to immediately gravitate to seat against its cushion while the fly will rest upon the upper end of the hammer-butt to permit the blocking member to engage, as particularly shown in Fig. 3, with the inner edge of the hammer-butt for blocking the hammer against recoil to again strike the string. Set intothe upper edge of the hammer-butt is a block 42 in which is mounted a transverse holding strip 42 for the wedge block 42. The strip 42 may be formed of felt or buckskin and will frictionally engage with the wedge block 42 when resting upon the hammer butt and tend to prevent the said block from slipping over the outer edge of the hammer-butt. Fluttering of the hammer will thus be effectually overcome while, at the same time, the hammer is always un der th'econtrol of the key. Upon the release of the key after the hammer has struck the string, the hammer will immediately gravitate to its original position, as illustrated in Fig. '1' with the hammer shank resting against the rest rail 12.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is illustrated a slight modification of the invention wherein the blocking member 43 for the hammer is provided at its inner end with spaced lugs embracing the damper 44 with the blocking member secured to the damper by a pivot pin 45"extending through the said lugs. Astop cushion 46 for the blocking member 43 is glued or otherwise secured to the lower face of the lock and is arranged to contact with the damper 44 for normally supporting the blocking member in substantially horizontal position. The fly 47 is provided at its lower inner corner with a hinge-48 secured to. the upper side of the blocking member by a screw or other suitable fastening device 49 while the wedge block 50 of the fly is connected to the fly by a screw 51. This construction provides simple arrangement for mounting the fly as well as for mounting the blocking member and wedge block, and since the operation of the parts is thesame as that of the corresponding parts in the preferred form of the invention a further description of this modified construction will not be given.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is illustrated a still further modified form of blocking member and fly. In this modification the blocking member is indicated at 52. This blocking member is reduced at its inner extremity for pivotal connection to the damper and is channeled upon its upper side to receive the shank of the wedge block 53 which is integral with the said shank. At its inner extremity the shank of the wedge block is pivotally connected with the blocking member by a suitable pivot pin and the wedge block is normally disposed in front of the outer end of the blocking member to project below the adjacent terminal thereof. Connected to the upper side of the blocking member at its inner extremity is a flat spring 54 which overlies the shank of the wedge block and is secured at its outer extremity to the upper edge of the said block. The blocking member 52 is arranged as in the preferredform ofthe invention and it will accordingly be seen that when thehammen butt strikes the wedge block 53, this block will be moved upwardly over the hammerbutt. At the same time the blocking member 52 will be lifted to clear the hammerbutt so that the hammer may strike the string. Uponthe rebound of the hammer, the blocking member will then gravitate to a position infront of the hammer-butt for lockingthe hammer, while when the key is released and thehammer gravitates to its normal position the spring 54 will yieldably return the wedge block 53 to its normal position in front of the blocking member. It will therefore be seen that this modification also provides a very effective construction. By employing the spring 54, the wedge block will always be quickly returned to position in front of the blocking member while by forming the wedge block with av shank which is seated in a channel in the top face of the blocking member, any tendency of the wedge block to move laterally will be overcome.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A piano action including a pivoted hammer butt. a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member swingingly mounted upon the damper and normally disposed in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly carried by the blocking member, and means mounted upon the fly and engageable by the hammer-butt for elevating the blocking member to clear the hammer-butt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammer-butt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

2. An upright piano action including pivoted hammer-butt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member pivoted upon the damper, a cushion mounted to support the blocking member in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly carried by the blocking member, and means mounted upon the fly and engageable by the hammer-butt for elevating the blocking member to clear the hammer-butt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammer-butt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

3. An upright piano action including a pivoted hammerbutt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member pivoted upon the damper and normally disposed in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly pivoted to the blocking member at a point in a plane above the said path of the hammer-butt, and means carried by the fly and engageable by the hammer-butt for elevating the blocking member to clear the hammer-butt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammerbutt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

a. An upright piano action including a pivoted hammer-butt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member pivoted upon the damper and normally disposed in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly carried by the blocking member, and means carried by the fly projecting in front of the outer end of the blocking member and engageable by the hammer-butt for elevating the blocking member to clear the hammer-butt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammer-butt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

5. An upright piano action including a pivoted hammer-butt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member pivoted upon the damper and normally disposed in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly pivoted upon the blocking member, and means carried by the fly in front of the outer end of the blocking member and provided with a beveled face engageable by the han'imerbutt for elevating the'blocking member to clear the lnunmenbutt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammer-butt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

6. An upright piano action including a pivoted hammer-butt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, a blocking member pivoted upon the damper and normally disposed in the path of the hammer-butt, a fly mounted upon the blocking member, and a wedge block carried by the fly in front of the blocking member, and engageable by the hammerbutt for elevating the blocking member to clear the hammer-butt, the blocking member falling in front of the hammer-butt upon the rebound of the hammer for blocking the hammer.

7. A piano action including a pivoted hammer-butt, a hammer carried thereby, a damper, and means between the damper and the hammer-butt automatically operable for blocking the hammer after the rebound thereof away from a string.

In. testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MRS. LILLIAN 81. C. MCBRIDE, [L. s.] Admlm'slrutri'x of W ill'iam R. St. Clair, deceased.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

